Le Samyn is an annual single-day road bicycle race in Belgium, held usually in late February or early March. The event was created in 1968 as ''Grand Prix de Fayt-le-Franc'', named after the former municipality where it started and finished. In 1970 it was renamed ''Grand Prix José Samyn'' as a tribute to José Samyn, the race's first winner who died in a race accident in 1969.

Johan Capiot Johan Capiot (born 12 April 1964 in Rijkhoven, Belgium) is a former professional road racing cyclist. He was a professional rider from 1986 to 2000. Major results ;1986 :1st, Stage 3, Danmark Rundt ;1987 :1st, Veenendaal–Veenendaal :1st, S ...

holds the record with three wins.

History

Since 2005, the race is included in the UCI Europe Tour as a 1.1 event. It is the first race of the season in Wallonia, held on the Tuesday after its Flemish counterpart, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. The race is run entirely in the province of Hainaut, starting in Quaregnon and finishing in Dour. During the course, 16 sectors of cobbled roads are traversed, prompting Belgian media to call it ''The Little Paris–Roubaix''. The 2005 edition was cancelled because snow had made the roads too dangerous. Since 2012, a women's edition of the race, named ''Le Samyn des Dames'', is held on the same day as the men's race.

Winners

Men's race

Dour - Le Samyn, 4 mars 2015, arrivée (D27)

Multiple winners

Wins by country

Women's race

Source

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Samyn UCI Europe Tour races Recurring sporting events established in 1968 1968 establishments in Belgium Cycle races in Belgium Le Samyn des Dames Women's road bicycle races